After lowering my altitude, I surveyed the castle from various angles.
It had been about 10 minutes.
That's when I sensed something odd.
There was no sign of life in the massive castle.
Then, suddenly.
"Ah."
In the backyard of the castle, I saw a boy with a familiar appearance, sporting silver hair and red eyes.
It was Theo.
His face seemed younger than it does now, likely before his academy days.
"......"
However, there was something unsettling about Theo's face and actions.
His face, veined and twisted, was marked by a grotesque smile.
─Hahaha, hahahaha!
His voice sounded ominous, as if it belonged to someone else.
I knew how Theo was, but anyone who didn't know him would have been scared enough to pee a little at his creepiness.
─Yes, that's it! Now I can do it too!
Theo shouted repeatedly.
Who was he talking to? - I looked around again, but there was no one.
Then, I noticed an odd object rolling near Theo.
......What should I call it?
It resembled a stone the size of a child's face, covered in blood-red characters.
Characters I had never seen before.
─......Wait and watch until I die. You bastards who ignored me. I will expel each and every one of you, without exception.
Theo, spouting lines befitting a third-rate villain, moved on.
His destination was the back door of Waldeurk Castle.
Hmm, this seems like Theo's past, but I can't make heads or tails of it.
I haven't seen this even in the game.
For now, as Theo seems unaware of my presence, I'll continue to follow──
......But I couldn't.
I woke up from the dream.
[Sudden Quest: By this Thursday, participate in at least one event each day at the Academy Festival and place within the top 3 in all of them.]
Reward: 4 Shop Gold Coins Progress: 4/4
[You have completed the Sudden Quest. You have earned 4 Shop Gold Coins as a reward.]
[You have cleared the Sudden Quest with maximum conditions met. You have earned an additional 3 Shop Gold Coins as a reward.]
[Total Reward: 7 Shop Gold Coins]
The quest completion window greeted me as soon as I opened my eyes.
It was indeed a good decision to work hard and rank first in every competition.
Earning 7 Shop Gold Coins in a single quest.
I must have accumulated a decent amount of Shop Gold Coins by now - I should consider exploring the shop soon.
......Anyway.
Where am I now, and how much time has passed?
My last memory was of elbowing Irene's jaw.
My body had immediately stopped functioning, a consequence of pushing it far beyond its limits.
"......"
I slightly turned my head to assess the current situation.
"You're awake."
Taylor's voice reached my ears.
I immediately recognized my current location. I was inside a room at [The Hilté].
"How long have I been asleep, Branch Chief?"
"Let's see. It's 7:20 AM now...... so about 12 hours, I guess."
Hmm?
I woke up much earlier than I expected?
And my voice seems normal too.
While still lying down, I tried moving my fingers and toes.
'......Ouch.'
It hurts, but they move.
......Having used [Overrun], is this considered getting off lightly?
In the game, the condition to unlock [Overrun] is to keep moving while maintaining a state of extreme physical fatigue.
When the body's stamina reaches its limit, all stats drastically decrease, and if stamina is completely depleted, movement becomes impossible.
In other words, in the game, [Overrun] is an ability that wouldn't be unlocked unless specifically targeted.
I seem to have acquired it by chance.
'The effects exceed expectations, but the cost is too high.'
[Overload] uses the current power of one's body.
[Overrun] goes further, drawing upon the future power of one's body.
That's why in the game, even Neike would be bedridden for three days after using it.
......Anyway, the fact that I, in my weakened state, woke up after just 12 hours suggests some intervention.
I had braced myself to be bedridden for at least a week after using [Overrun].
Slowly raising my upper body, I looked at Taylor.
"I'm somewhat aware of my body's condition, Branch Chief. There's still muscle pain all over, but waking up in just 12 hours seems impossible. What treatment did you administer?"
"You woke up just in time. Irene also woke up about 30 minutes ago. Anyway, we used this on you."
Taylor pointed to a table beside the bed, on which lay about ten empty medicine bottles.
●Special stamina recovery Medicine [Grade: Rare]
: When taken, rapidly recovers stamina.
Recovery time and amount vary depending on the condition.
There is a cooldown period after taking, individual to each person. [View More]
Taylor continued.
"Theo, you seem to have a body that responds exceptionally well to medicine. Normally, it takes about 12 hours to fully absorb the effects, but you absorbed it all in just an hour. That's why we administered it every hour."
Taylor shrugged his shoulders.
...So, I'm especially receptive to medicine.
Well, the reason is quite obvious.
I looked down at Little Fist, asleep in my arms, and gently stroked his head.
Anyway, such an effective stamina recovery medicine...
It's extremely tempting.
No one needs to manage physical fatigue as much as I do.
Pointing to the empty bottles of stamina recovery medicine on the table with my finger, I asked.
"Branch Chief, would it be possible to get more of this item?"
"I was planning to prescribe more, but we used all the stock at the branch for treating you. I've already requested additional stock from the headquarters, so it should arrive in about three days."
"Thank you."
I bowed my head in gratitude.
Taylor grinned and waved his hand.
"Well, it's just part of my job as a healer─"
He suddenly stopped speaking.
Then, squinting his eyes slightly, he gave me a piercing look.
"It seems to be a technique that wrings your body to its extreme limits, even more than the previous one...... Don't use it too often."
"......"
I remained silent, just gazing back at Taylor.
There was a chilling seriousness in his eyes.
Taylor continued.
"It's the perfect recipe for an early grave."
"......I'll keep that in mind."
I nodded in acknowledgment.
His words were indeed true.
Another cost of [Overrun] is a reduction in lifespan.
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
With narrowed eyes again, Taylor said,
"It seems your guardian has arrived. I'll leave now, Theo. Avoid strenuous exercise until your muscle pain eases. I'll contact you separately when we get more of the medicine."
"Thank you, Branch Chief."
"Ha ha ha, no need to thank me. Feel free to visit even when you're not injured, whenever you have time."
Saying this, Taylor left the room.
Following him, Amy and Irene entered the room.
At the same time.
In the owner's office within [Ford Company], located in the northern magical city.
The only person in the spacious room was Maitri.
He sat in a large chair, legs crossed, focused in reading a document.
It was the updated report on key figures of Elinia Academy, urgently submitted by his subordinate Roy an hour ago.
"Hmm. Things are turning out to be more interesting than I thought."
He had already read the report submitted by Roy yesterday, containing quite a bit of useful information.
Among them, the most unexpectedly active figure was 'Theo Lyn Waldeurk'.
His name dominated a significant portion of the report.
The updated version he was currently reading was no different.
"......The First Saintess appeared at the [Martial Arts Competition] with her guardian knight, and it is speculated that she showed interest in Theo Lyn Waldeurk-"
This part particularly caught his attention.
Isabella, the First Saintess of the Renimid Church, was a high-priority person of interest.
He had tried to track her movements but had always failed.
He continued reading the report.
"The First Saintess left early, but then Guardian Knight Claire stayed to watch Theo and Irene's final match...... Right after winning the [Martial Arts Competition], Theo collapsed on the spot in the arena......"
Below the text were attached photos of the First Saintess, Claire, and Theo.
All three of them had emotionless, expressionless faces.
After finishing the report, Maitri fell into deep thought.
"Indeed, he was no ordinary fellow from the first time I saw him."
Maitri recalled his visit to the Knight Department's tournament.
To him, the real protagonist of the tournament was Theo.
It started with Theo and ended with Theo.
Not just his skill, but he was a fascinating character that continuously caught the eye.
Moreover, seeing how important Theo was in Roy's investigation report──
"──My instincts are still reliable."
Maitri smiled, lifting one corner of his mouth.
...Yes, he had decided.
Such a character deserved a formal welcome-
Having concluded his thoughts, Maitri opened a drawer of his desk.
Inside were numerous communication crystals.
"It's me."
He picked one and contacted someone.
